The bi-partisan Board would be comprised of thirteen members with expertise in farming, animal care, and food safety issues, and chaired by the director of the state department that regulates agriculture.

The Governor will appoint ten members of the Board, as follows:* One representing family farmers* One knowledgeable about food safety in Ohio* Two representing Ohio farming organizations* One who is a veterinarian* The State Veterinarian* The dean of the agriculture department of an Ohio college or university* One representing a county humane society in Ohio* Two representing Ohio's consumers

The Leaders of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate will each appoint a family farmer to the Board.

Authority of General Assembly under SJR 6: Standards and rules developed by the Board would be subject to the authority of the General Assembly.

If approved, this proposed amendment will be effective immediately.

Measure Text

Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly

To adopt Section 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution of the State of Ohio

Text of the proposed amendment: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/upload/ballotboard/2009/2-text.pdf

This proposed amendment would:

1. Require the state to create the Livestock Care Standards Board to prescribe standards for animal care and well-being that endeavor to maintain food safety, encourage locally grown and raised food, and protect Ohio farms and families.

2. Authorize this bipartisan board of thirteen members to consider factors that include, but are not limited to, agricultural best management practices for such care and well-being, biosecurity, disease prevention, animal morbidity and mortality data, food safety practices, and the protection of local, affordable food supplies for consumers when establishing and implementing standards.

3. Provide that the board shall be comprised of thirteen Ohio residents including representatives of Ohio family farms, farming organizations, food safety experts, veterinarians, consumers, the dean of the agriculture department at an Ohio college or university and a county humane society representative.

4. Authorize the Ohio department that regulates agriculture to administer and enforce the standards established by the board, subject to the authority of the General Assembly.

If adopted, this amendment shall take effect immediately.

A "YES" vote means approval of the amendment.A "NO" vote means disapproval of the amendment.